Just us family (Peke x Kuruka) *Finished*

[Iris_virus]

-It'd been a few days now... Since IT happened. Since the world had shook and taken away all that the little cub had gained. Any shreds of confidence were tattered and bruised, the world was a mess. Most of the pride was missing.. she'd even heard whispers of a more horrible demise for some from one of the adults before she was shoed away. And mama... Mama was missing too. It was just her and her brothers now. She should have been thankful to atleast have them, but her mood was far too dowry for that little bit of light at the moment.

So instead Kuruka simply lay, having not moved since she was first shoed off to the location by the adults. Oh she'd toss and turn a bit, before curling in a protective little ball, but that was it. Food had been place before her once, twice already, but she ignored it, refusing even to sniff at it, and the adults had finally relented and taken it away. There was too much to worry about already.. without having to worry about a cub that they had no clue how to reach.

Groaning a little Kuruka streched her paws out momentarily, before curling them in once again, resting her head in her paws as she stared at the dirt. Maybe if she stared hard enough it'd shake again, and things could go back to normal.-

Peke was self-absorbed, most of the time, but he knew what was going on with his little sister. He knew that she was hurting and he also knew that she didn't know how to react to the kind of hurt that had filled her body. It wasn't a physical pain it was emotional. She felt like she was alone, it wasn't true but she felt it anyway. At least that's the only conclusion he could come to. His eyes lingered on the form of his sister who had done nothing, absolutely nothing for the past few days. Frowning he knitted his brows together before slipping into the shadows intent on bringing her something not only to eat but to also cheer her up.

Stalking through the grass he had found what he was looking for, a rabbit. Before there was a chance for him to be noticed he lunged successfully capturing, and killing, the rabbit in one more. Gathering it up in his maw he trotted back toward Kurka coming up behind her and pushing his head into her back. Stepping back he dropped the rabbit and moved to nuzzle her. She was the only one he ever really showed affection for. "Kuruka, I know how you're feeling."

-She hadn't noticed his departure, something she usually would have picked up right away, considering her tired concentration on the ground. So when she felt the pressure on her back, her head turned mildly, eyes settling on his figure in curiousity. She should have known it was him or Dumu after all, for the adults hadn't bothered to touch her at all lately. They weren't family.. just a set of rogue cubs admist everything else.

Her eyes touched him first, and then the bit of meat that lay on the ground beside her. And her momentary selfishness blinded her to the notion of how much work he probably put into bringing that bit of meat to her.- "I'm not hungry." -Her voice was hoarse from lack of use.

The more tender touch, and the words of comfort however stung her, and she felt the heat of tears at the corners of her eyes. Her ears pinned back harder, as if stubbornly unwilling to let someone try to convince her of better things, but her body relented, shifting and streching out enough to let him settle in near her if he liked.-

Peke frowned, his ears flattening against his head when she rejected his offer. She'd take it eventually, he'd make sure of that. When she shifted he took a seat beside her not letting her change her mind incase she didn't want his company after all. "This has been hard on all of us and I know you've had it worse..." He started but the words sounded strange and not right. Shaking his head he tried again. "I feel the way you do all the time. You're lonely, you feel like you're alone." He stated heaving a sigh. As he looked down upon her he finally noticed the tears that had begun to fall. "Kuru...don't cry...please don't cry..." The cub pleaded, something he -never- did but he wanted to cheer her up, to comfort her. Why was it so hard?

"Will you eat the rabbit I caught for you?" He asked placing his head upon her shoulder.

-The words seemed just as foreign to her as they did to him, however as they shifted further to how HE felt, Kuruka finally began to digest them. Her brothers, both of them, had always seemed so strong. Dumu was so vibrant and larger than life. And Peke, quiet as he may come across, she'd always seen that strength and maturity in him. It hadn't really occurred to that they too might feel so small and helpless. So alone.

That thought itself only helped to quicken the tears that touched her cheeks, that they were hurting too and she'd been so consumed in herself. As Peke pleaded with her Kuruka turned her eyes away, trying hard to rub at the tears with her paws and make them go away. It was a hard task as they seemed to just keep coming and coming, but finally they'd begun to slow a bit and she felt the pressure of him against her shoulder.-

"You... caught it yourself..?" -She asked softly. Her stomach grumbled lightly, and for the first time in days she didn't simply ignore it, eyes turning to gaze at the small rabbit once more.- "That must've been hard."

"Kuruka." He called her name softly into her ear hoping that his tone was more soothing that it sounded to him. "Don't be sad." Although he said it as a request it was more of an order, or at least it felt more like one to him. Seeing her so sad...so depressed made him hurt inside. Her pain was so much different than the one he endured everyday when the other had been off playing. The games they played had always been hard for him to get into. "I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you." He told her meaning every word he spoke.

Then her question came up and he found himself smiling. At least she was interested. "I did. It was hard but since it was for you it wasn't." He told her his smile thicking a bit. "I wanted to cheer you up." Although the words were something he'd say very often, if at all, they felt right because they were true.  

[Iris_virus]

-Though she likely didn't show it, and perhaps didn't even quite realize it yet herself, her brother's comfort wasn't going wasted. It'd likely be later that she truely felt and understood it, but the simple words settled and nestled in the back of her head, the soft touch and warmth of his fur slowly melting away at the horrible ache of loneliness she'd let consume her over the past few days.

There was one thing for sure though. She absolutely believed his words. Even if it was absolute cubbish foolishness she believed what he'd said as if it were some sort of magic promise. He'd always be here, and nothing could take him away.-

"I see..." -So much work all for her...- "Thank you Peke." -For everything It made her happy, and yet, still she couldn't seem to tug up the edges of her maw away from that somber look.- "You should have some too then."

"Nah, it's all for you." He replied giving her a nuzzle before pulling away. He moved away from her side just long enough to fetch the rabbit and carry it to her. Dropping it infront of her he returned to his previous seat but didn't rest his chin on her shoulder this time. "If you want to thank me then smile." He requested his gaze upon her features. This chat was working, it was lifting her spirits but not enough to see her smile. "Things will be back to normal, Dumu and I will be fighting again and mom will be back." He told her almost promising her those things even if he knew, or didn't know, they were true. Right now his overprotective, need to care for his sister mode had kicked in.

"After you eat lets fine Dumu and we can play a game you like." He suggested wanting her to move from the spot she had seemed glued to for days.

-She hesitated with uncertainty at first. If he'd taken a bite as well.. even just one she might've not felt so guilty. But the scent of the meat and the soft push from Peke finally caused her to relent, mouth dipping to tug and pull a tiny tender little bite. The meat was sweet and soothing to her sore throat, and the second it touched her stomach, the more it grumbled and protested demanding more. And so the cub ate and ate, and slowly she began to wonder why she'd refused in the first place.

As Peke's small 'toll' sounded, Kuruka glanced up from her meal licking away the mess that covered her maw. And oh how she tried to give him just that, a smile. But it was only half a one, half real and half forced. For as much as she appreciated his kindness and his love, she still couldn't break the constant ache to cry that was weighing down her soul. Especially when he mentioned mother, causing a soft matter of fact statement to slip from her.- "I miss mama.."

-Turning back to her food, regreting speaking her comment almost immediately, she took another small bite, trying hard to please her brother. She wanted to feel better, she really did. And if that meant letting Peke and Dumu take care of her.. and trying to be strong the best she could, well then that wasn't so bad. After all Peke was trying soooo hard, Kuruka would try her very best to be good too.- "Okay, That'll be fun."

Peke watched her eat his body relaxing, at least she ate. He was afraid she was going to starve herself to death in the beginning. When he saw her half-hearted smile he nudged her cheek accepting her payment. At least she tried and that was enough, for now. Eventually he'd see her smile. He would make sure of it. "I miss her too." It wasn't a lie and if Dumu had been around he probably wouldn't have admitted it. Although he rarely showed affection for the lioness that was their mother he still missed her.

"Good." He told her a smile breaking out across his maw as he moved to stand as she took another bite. "We can find him together."

-Glancing down at the last bits of rabbit that remained after her hungry little attack, it was amazing how much appetite one could build up even with just laying about, she attempted to lift herself up. Slow and steady, streching legs that'd long ago fallen asleep and lame beneath her. When finally she stood comfortably and ready Kuruka's eyes turned to Peke, and back behind her, her tail even began to sway a little subconciously.

Peke was a great big brother, and her very best friend at that. Only time would tell if she could ever truly show him just how grateful she was to have him. Padding over to rub her cheek against his side, she nodded softly to his plan. Better to go out and do something, then simply wait for the world to come to them.-

/fin